Monodispersed Nickel Nanoparticles with Tunable Phase and Size: Synthesis, Characterization, and Magnetic Properties

A facile thermal-decomposition route to the monodispersed Ni nanoparticles was introduced, in which the cheap and low toxic nickel acetate was used as precursor and the surfactant hexadecylamine was used as solvent, reducing agent, and stabilizing agent. The product was characterized in detail by using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope (TEM), high-resolution TEM, thermal-gravimetric, and Fourier transform infrared techniques. The effects of reaction parameters such as reaction temperature, time, and the molar ratio of reagents on the phase and size of Ni nanoparticles were investigated, and the transformation of face-centered cubic-(fcc) to hexagonal close-packed-phase was also discussed. Furthermore, the magnetic properties of fcc Ni nanoparticles with tunable size were measured and compared by superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer.